In addition to using a personal computer (PC) for transferring data to a network, another option for transferring information to a network is a “digital sender”. A digital sender is a network device that converts paper-based documents into electronic data. A digital sender includes a scanner for scanning in paper documents. The digital sender can send the electronic data by several methods, including via Internet e-mail and via facsimile (Fax) either through a network fax server or an Internet fax service provider.
One known manufacturer of different models of digital senders is Hewlett-Packard Company. Information regarding Hewlett-Packard digital senders is publicly available via Hewlett-Packard's website at www.hp.com. Information regarding Hewlett-Packard's digital senders is also provided in “HP 9100C Digital Sender User Guide,” 1st ed., 1998,Pub. No. C1311-90910, and “HP 9100C Digital Sender Administrator Guide,” 1st ed., 1998,Pub. No. C1311-90915, which are incorporated herein by reference.
A digital sender allows data to be transferred to the Internet with fewer steps than that required by a PC. The digital sender includes a keypad that allows a user to enter an e-mail address. A user can scan in a document, enter one or more e-mail addresses for the desired destinations, press a send button, and the digital sender automatically e-mails the information to the various destinations. The digital sender automatically logs onto an exchange server, and transmits an e-mail message with the scanned document attached, without any further user input required. Thus, a digital sender provides a more efficient means for transferring paper-based source information to the Internet.
In existing systems, to send an e-mail communication, a user specifies one or more absolute destinations for the communication. The absolute destinations are typically e-mail addresses or fax phone numbers. Some systems allow a user to enter a destination in the form of a name or other identifier of a person or group, and the systems automatically retrieve the e-mail address or addresses corresponding to the entered name or identifier. In these existing systems, destinations are absolute. In other words, there is a 1-to-1 correspondence between destinations and e-mail addresses. Each destination is mapped to a single e-mail address or set of e-mail addresses, regardless of the particular sender transmitting the communication. The mappings do not change based upon the person transmitting the communication.
It would be desirable for a network to provide a capability for users to specify user-relative destinations that vary depending upon the person sending information over the network.